Barbie deployed to close ‘Dream Gap’ for young girls

LOS ANGELES-Over the years, Barbie has taken on many roles: beach beauty, scientist, even president of the United States. And now, she will work to help young girls close the so-called “Dream Gap.” The doll’s maker Mattel on Tuesday announced a sweeping campaign in collaboration with university researchers to teach young girls to believe in themselves, and not to buy into sexist gender stereotypes. “Research has identified that starting at age five, many girls are less likely than boys to view their own gender as smart and begin to lose confidence in their own competence,” Mattel said in a statement. The company will fund research and work on “rallying a community around supporting girls” through its multi-year Dream Gap Project.